James Smith of Wyoming dislodges the ball from Indian Hill quarterback Cole Dein. The ball eventually squirted out of the back of the end zone resulting in a safety for the Cowboys. Rod Apfelbeck for the Enquirer

Wyoming's Pierson Rogers bursts through a hole made by Camden O'Gara and Luke Erny during the first quarter of Wyoming's 25-0 win over Indian Hill at Withrow on Friday, November 10th, 2017. Rod Apfelbeck for the Enquirer.

Scott running back Quincy Perrin tries to direct teammate Caelan Wihebrink's block during their second-round playoff game with Johnson Central at Scott, Friday, November 10, 2017. Jim Osborn for the Enquirer

Seth Dalton leaves three Scott defenders and an official in his wake as he scores on a 74-yard touchdown for Johnson Central's second score during their second-round playoff game at Scott, Friday, November 10, 2017. Jim Osborn for the Enquirer

Scott's Sabeon Turner hauls in a long touchdown pass despite heavy defense from Johnson Central's Taylor Blanton during their second-round playoff game at Scott, Friday, November 10, 2017. Jim Osborn for the Enquirer

Wyoming's Pierson Rogers bursts through a hole made by Camden O'Gara and Luke Erny during the first quarter of Wyoming's 25-0 win over Indian Hill at Withrow on Friday, November 10th, 2017.(Photo: Rod Apfelbeck for the Enquirer.)

There were no surprises when two Cincinnati Hills League rivals faced off for the second time in three weeks. Wyoming kept its perfect season alive with a 25-0 win over CHL rival Indian Hill.

For the third straight week, Wyoming’s offense got off to a slow start. For the third straight game, the defense kept the Cowboys in control. After giving up 24 points to the Braves two weeks ago, the Cowboys defense played a nearly perfect game.

“The front seven on both sides really won this game, and most of our games for us,” said linebacker Hasan Black. “Our defensive backs had a great game. Our secondary shut them down this week.”

Two weeks after trailing the Braves 3-0 after the first quarter, Wyoming played Indian Hill to a scoreless first quarter. The defense and special teams did their parts by setting up short fields, and the Cowboys took advantage.

“We’re a team. Our guys, we come out, we want to set the tempo both offensively and defensively,” said Wyoming coach Aaron Hancock. “Our team wants to set the tempo of the football game.”

Pierson Rogers broke the seal by capping a 32-yard scoring drive with a one-yard plunge. On the Braves’ next snap, Black nearly came up with an interception. Fortunately for Wyoming, the ball bounced in the air as Black hit the ground and Moe Mitchell was there to corral the turnover. Another short field did not directly lead to a score, but set the Cowboys up for more points.

“It’s everybody together, making plays,” said Mitchell.

Rogers fumbled and the Braves recovered at their own three-yard line. Rather than playing conservative, quarterback Cole Dein took a shotgun snap in his own end zone. He was sacked and fumbled. The Braves were lucky that the ball bounced out of the back of the end zone for a safety, giving Wyoming a 9-0 lead.

“We pressured the quarterback, we had them in third-and-long situations, we brought some pressure, we mixed up some coverages and that caused some confusion for them,” said Hancock. “Our defensive coordinator, Chad Seymour, does a fantastic job with the game plan and he got after them.”

Following the ensuing free kick, the Cowboys put together the longest drive of the first half. Rogers and quarterback Evan Prater led a 63-yard drive, punctuated by Rogers’s three-yard touchdown run. With the way the defense was playing, Wyoming took a commanding 16-0 lead into the locker room. The Cowboys outgained the Braves 158-39 in the first half.

This was one of the biggest days in Indian Hill athletics history. Earlier in the day, the girls soccer team claimed its first state championship. The momentum did not travel from Columbus to Cincinnati. The football team was outscored by the soccer team, 2-0.

The Division IV regional semifinal played at Withrow High School’s Angus King Stadium was dominated by Wyoming. The Cowboys advance to the regional final for the second straight season. They will face Clinton Massie with a berth to the state semifinal at stake.

Defense dominated the day, as the Cowboys intercepted quarterback Cole Dein three times. They held the Braves well below their offensive averages.

“(Our front seven) got to the quarterback all night,” said Mitchell. “If he’s throwing off his back foot, it’s not going to go very far, and we’re there to make plays.”

The Braves can hold their heads high. This rivalry will continue in 2018, as both teams return several of their key playmakers. Indian Hills’ only three losses this year came against Wyoming and CHCA, a pair of playoff teams. One week after forcing eight turnovers in a first-round win over Taft, the Braves failed to make any game-changing plays. Their biggest play came deep in their own territory, recovering a fumble at their three-yard line to avoid an even more lopsided final score.

“This is a senior class that has been a part of a lot of victories, and I know on a night like tonight, it’s hard for the kids to remember that,” said Braves coach Tony Arcuri. “But we are a young team and I hope our underclassmen understand that when you get this far in the playoffs and play good football teams, you can’t make mistakes. You learn from those mistakes and hopefully in the future, you don’t commit the same ones.”

Indian Hill’s defense clamped down after two straight weeks of allowing more than 20 points for the only times this season. But it was not enough as the offense was continually frustrated by the Cowboys.

“The pressure that they got on us from their defensive line and the good linebacker play in the interior of their defense made a big difference for them,” said Arcuri.

Wyoming improves to 12-0. The Cowboys have allowed just 8.8 points per game. This was their fourth shutout of the season.

“We’re a football team that is just hungry to get better every single week,” said Hancock. “We’re just excited to be playing in Week 13. These kids worked extremely hard and we’re excited to get out there and play for a regional final.”

Wyoming came up short against Alter in the 2016 regional final. A new training regimen and renewed focus have the Cowboys primed to go even farther this year.

“We knew we had to come back on Saturdays,” said senior Jared Fox. “Saturdays couldn’t be a joke to us anymore. We knew we had to grind on Saturdays if we wanted to grind and win on Fridays.”